The Stripper's Guide blog discusses the history of the American newspaper comic strip.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Walter Wellman

Walter Jesse Wellman was born in East Jaffrey, New Hampshire on May 25, 1879, according to his World War II draft card. Descendants of Thomas Wellman of Lynn, Massachusetts (1918) said he was born in Dublin, New Hampshire, which is 8.8 miles / 14.1 kilometers northwest of Jaffrey.

In the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Wellman was the second of two sons born to Frank Pierce, a painter, and Mary Jane. They lived in Jaffrey. Picture Postcards in the United States, 1893–1918 (1976) said Wellman graduated from high school in Winchendon, Massachusetts.

The 1900 census recorded Wellman in Boston, Massachusetts at 83 Montgomery Street. He was a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The 1901 Technique, the school yearbook, printed a photograph of Wellman in the Glee Club.

Title of Thesis of Successful Candidates for Graduation, June 1902Walter Jesse Wellman. A Non-Terminal Railroad Station.

Descendants of Thomas Wellman said Wellman married Matilda Richie in New York City on June 14, 1905. Census records show she was eight years older than Wellman.

Picture Postcards in the United States said Wellman’s “college calendar designs caught the eye of the editors of the Boston Globe, who commissioned him to do comics and picture puzzles.” After college, Wellman moved to New York City. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said he produced several comics for the New York World.

Wellman and Matilda lived at 2125 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, as recorded in the 1910 census. He was a cartoonist and publisher. Several postcards by Wellman were entered in the Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part 4, Works of Art, New Series, Volume 5, Numbers 40–43, October 1910.

Wellman’s article, “Humanizing the House Organ Via the Cartoon”, and cartoon, Raggles the Rover, was published in Postage, April 1918. He also advertised in Postage.

Wellman signed his World War I draft card on September 12, 1918. The self-employed cartoonist resided in Montvale, New Jersey. His description was medium height, slender build, blue eyes and light hair color.

In the 1920 census Wellman’s name was misspelled as “Welming”. He and his wife lived on Fairview Avenue in Montvale. His occupation was magazine cartoonist. Picture Postcards in the United States said Wellman supplied art to Harper’s Bazar, Life, Judge, Puck, and Woman’s Home Companion. Wellman advertised in The Editor, April 25, 1920.

In 1930 the Wellmans remained in Montvale but lived on Hillcrest Avenue. He was a commercial artist. In 1938, Wellman’s puzzles appeared in More Fun Comics.

Wellman’s address remained the same in the 1940 census. His occupation was cartoonist. Wellman said he was self-employed when he registered with the draft board on April 25, 1942. The card said he was five feet four-and-a-half inches and 127 pounds.

My name is Allan Holtz. I am a comic strip historian, and author of "American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide." This blog is my outlet for all manner of interesting, oddball and rare material related to comic strip history. It is also a forum where others interested in comic strip history are encouraged to participate through the comments, or even by contributing articles.
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